The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1887-01-30
TIE RED SCAR.

speak, in the heart of Yucatan, | was rather
Pleased than otherwise.
| hal been writing up the quaint old ruins
of that strange land for a New York paper,
aud hal turned my face hornfward. when
l received letter requesting me To wait at
San Pablo for further instructions.
san Pablo interested Inc. II was sleepy
old Spanish village, with a big cathedral,
plaza with the usual collection of adobe
houses around it, and background of
snow capped mountains rising boldly from
a Landscapes of torrid summer heats.
1t was here that / met with the most lslz-
zling experience of my life. | was return
ing from II solitary ride among the hills.
The declining sun warned me that darkness
would oyertake me if | did not make haste.
hut as | could see i'll the distance the mas
siSc towers of the cathedral, L felt no un-
.a>inees.
At one place my lonely road or mule
path skirted a deep raVine, which was So
cloked up with a thick, scrubby under
Growth that | was unable 10 see anything
but "a tangled mas, of foliage and vines.
"A good place for an ambush, 1 said
10 myself
The idea impressed me that | spurred
my mule, but To my surprise the usually
,locile animal stood stock still.
''SenOrr'
The voice rang out from the depths of
SENIOR halt!'
As had halted, ON account of my mules
uI,,tinacy TIN, command was unnecessary
Stand aside | shouted, and let me
PASS " just then saw protrutIing out of
tin. bushes in front of me the muz2le of an
old fashioned blunderhuss, flint lock
weapon in very general use in Nucatan.
y shuddrr ran down my spinal column
was unarmcd, and the blunderbuss was
about the size of small cannon. Resist
ance was not tn lie thought eff.
81 surrender,'' l cried to my unseen foe.
The senior is sensibe,' said the man
with the big gun, rs hc leaped into the road.
\ rapid but close scrutiny of my captor
showed me u young man of medium height,
whose 1.-THE snewy figure Indicated excep-
tioual activity and strength. He wore
homespun cotton suit, and the face under
his soIubr,,ro had the brown tinge common
To- all the Eucatans who We're of mixed
Spanish and Indian blood The man >
right temple distigurrd by II peculiar
scar, shaped like crescent, and of fiery
red color. Beyond this scar there was
nothing remarkable about his face. He
had regular features, thin, cruel lips, and
restless eyes like beads of jet.
Il will hold up my hands, ami you can
90 through me, y said | pleasantly. You
don't want the mule, 10 YOU
THE senior is wrong. | do want the
mule. -" replied the robbcr in u quiet self
possessed tone, The senior viii have the
Kindness To- disInuuut and hold up his hands -
IA there WAS no use in wasting words |
ubeyed without objection. The robber with
u quick jcrl, drew my hands behind me and
pininned them with strip of rawhi'le.
Thc1 he bound me securely to u tree. After
finishing these preliminaries he emptied my
pnckets of the loose silver in them.
Is this all scnor," he asked in deep dis
gust.
''All have, " answered
THE senior has my sympathy said the
rascal with vicious grim. But the mule
is somrtEing.'
The ruhlrr turned my stecd To the right
about ami jumped into the saddle
Let the senior be patient, he said he
rode OH Some traveller will release him,
an it is not far To San Pablo Give Fran
cisco's compliments t. the alcal,le -Adios,
senior. adus'' And waving his hand he
disappeared around bend i'll the road.
- this the noted hiGhwayman, Fran
cisco, for whose head the governor had
offered "A heavy reward. There was con
ISOLATION in the thought. No one would
blame me for surren,icrinS To- dare. devil
who considered match for any three
men in NuCatun.
But my train of thought was soon inter
ruptcd in a pleasant manner. Francisco
hour when muletccr made his appearance
leading his little burro along the narrow
path Hailng the stranger. | induce, him
to cut my bonds and release me. The mule
tcer told me that had escaped lightly. He
gave Francisco n very black character
If this place had not been in sight of
San Pablo, said he, the cutthroat would
have killed YOU
The next morning the little town of San
i. 81. e
women AMI children rushed pell nell
through the streets uttering wild yells. /
looked out of the window several times, but
could no; make up my mind whether it was
a revolution or holiday.
| threw myself ON the h,d and tried u get
into n ioze, and succeeding when the
alcalde rushed into my room with Il bevv of
his rctainer> and puilc,l me into IA sitting
posture. The Senor's commands have been
obeved - said the alcaldc, exCitclly. TIE
dog of "a bandit has bcen arrested, and will
lie tried before me ut once But need
the senorS testimony. Without the senior
We can do nothing
1t took me almost no time To dress ami
accompany the little brown alcalde and his
browncr alguazils To- the prctentiouS stone
c,Iitice ON the plaza called the palace Of
justice
| had never seen a criminal trial in u
Mexican court. and everything was new to
me The alcalde presided with great dig
nifty. He was assisted by "a prosecuting
officer, ami several advocates, rs they call
their lawyers, We're also on hand. The court
room was filed with GROVE, of eager spec
tatorS, all talking. swearing and shaking
their fists at the prisoner. The rOhber, Fran
cisco, was the most uucuncrrncd looking
man III the iowd. SURROUNDED 10y al9uaZilS
he was not hanlcufrc,l, and when he saw
me he smiled and made me Il polite bow
The proeye,ling~ draggc,l all through the
weary day. Ny limited know lttl.r,' of the
language made it imp,Ssil,!c Tor r.lt. to fol-
low everything that WAS sail. bur | under
stoud that an effort Was being made TO
prove an alihj Three men with rather hon
est fac,s swo:v that at Is O'Clock OH the pre-
Vious afternoon they h.,d inlt,ih.I uuIoue
with Francesca al a little VILLAGE twenty